Crime & Justice with Donna Rotunno

One year after Charlie Kirk's assassination, legal maneuvering, evidence battles, and defense tactics threaten to delay the capital murder trial of his accused killer, Tyler Robinson. Donna and criminal defense attorney Skye Lazaro analyze whether strategic choices damaged Robinson's defense, why the judge granted broad latitude on expert testimony, and if the victim's rights speedy trial filings carry weight in a death penalty case. Finally, they explore the rare scenarios that could force prosecutors into a plea deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Lindsay Clancy trial ended in a hung jury, but the fallout is escalating. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington took to national television to plead for a presidential pardon for a state-level crime. Massachusetts criminal defense attorney Peter Elikann joins Donna to discuss why it seems the majority of the public sided with Clancy and the legal reality of retry attempts. Plus, reports reveal a holdout juror admitted to reasonable doubt but still refused an insanity acquittal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Lindsay Clancy murder trial ends in a mistrial as 12 jurors fail to reach a unanimous verdict. Live outside the Plymouth, Massachusetts, courthouse, Donna takes you through the dramatic legal maneuvers that brought this high-profile trial to an end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Day five of jury deliberations in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial ends in another standoff. The judge issued a final Tuey-Rodriguez charge after jurors declared for a second time that they cannot reach a unanimous verdict. Donna is outside the Massachusetts courthouse alongside FOX News Correspondent Nate Foy and Host of the Courtroom Confidential podcast Josh Ritter as they dissect why the defense and prosecution face a potential mistrial. Plus, an analysis on whether intense social media speculation and juror safety concerns are driving a fundamental deadlock over criminal responsibility versus postpartum psychosis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lindsay Clancy's jury is deadlocked on Day 4 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Donna and retired FBI agent James Gagliano are outside the courthouse to analyze the high-stakes impasse. With a potential mistrial looming, Donna and James examine jury room politics and whether a second trial would ruin the prosecution's case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From explosive misconduct allegations in South Carolina to controversial courtroom strategy in Massachusetts, Donna and FOX News' Trey Gowdy react to high-stakes twists in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial and the Alex Murdaugh retrial, exposing how prosecutorial overreach and rogue court officials threaten to derail justice in America’s biggest cases. GET TREY GOWDY’S NEW NOVEL: Order your copy of Trey Gowdy's powerful new fictional legal thriller, The Sound of Regret. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Day 20 of the Lindsay Clancy murder trial brings the courtroom to a tipping point as prosecutors and defense attorneys finalize testimony. FOX News Correspondent Bryan Llenas joins Donna directly outside the Massachusetts courthouse to discuss the high-stakes expert testimony, jury reactions, and the looming verdict. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Lindsay Clancy murder trial nears its final stretch, is the defense gaining momentum? Donna is joined by FOX News Correspondent Chanley Painter from outside the Massachusetts courthouse with the latest on testimony surrounding Clancy’s mental state, the jury’s reaction inside the courtroom, and a controversial question from prosecutors that left spectators stunned. Then, retired Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Jack Lu weighs in on the prosecution’s case, the difficulty of proving an insanity defense, and why he says he never would have charged Clancy with first-degree murder. Plus, Donna answers one of the biggest questions she’s received from listeners: Why wasn’t Patrick Clancy charged with anything? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty in federal court, but what does that mean for the murder case still hanging over him in New York? Attorney and former prosecutor Thomas Kenniff weighs in on Mangione’s legal strategy, his defense team’s push to have the state charges dismissed, and whether the admissions he made under oath in federal court could come back to haunt him if the New York case moves forward. Plus, Tom discusses the wrongful death lawsuit facing Daniel Penny following his criminal acquittal and his new legal thriller, Tuxedo Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges tied to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson without a plea deal and while still facing the possibility of life in prison. Donna explains the surprise courtroom move, what Mangione may gain from admitting guilt in federal court, and why his defense is now arguing that New York’s double-jeopardy rules should prevent the state’s second-degree murder case from moving forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former FBI criminal profiler Jim Clemente weighs in on the mystery surrounding Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance from the unusual language in the ransom notes and blood evidence outside her home to the behavioral clues that could point investigators toward her abductor. Clemente, who profiled the then-unidentified Gilgo Beach serial killer years before Rex Heuermann’s arrest, explains what criminal behavior can reveal when physical evidence alone isn’t enough. Plus, he weighs in on Bryan Kohberger’s attempt to withdraw his guilty plea and reveals what the FBI could learn from interviewing Heuermann. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan Kohberger moved to withdraw his guilty plea, alleging defense coercion amid questions about buried evidence. Defense witness Dr. Brent Turvey returns to reveal gaps in the prosecution's case, including chain-of-custody concerns on the key piece of evidence, media leaks, and allegations that the defense never wanted to go to trial.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Six months after Nancy Guthrie vanished, FBI agents returned to the desert brush behind Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home after monsoon rains. Fox News Digital reporter Michael Ruiz joins Donna to analyze this development along with the ransom notes, a "wrench attack" theory, and his sit-down with Sheriff Nanos. Mike shares what neighbors are saying about federal agents sweeping the foothills behind the house as well as insight from a former local SWAT commander. Read Mike's latest article: https://foxnews.com/us/nancy-guthrie-tucson-neighborhood-searched-again-monsoon-shifts-landscape-neighbor-says Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan Kohberger is back in the headlines with a shock petition to withdraw his guilty plea in the Idaho college murders. Former FBI Special Agent and investigative journalist Christopher Whitcomb rejoins Donna to confront Kohberger’s claims of ineffective counsel, the primary evidence cited in Whitcomb's book, Broken Plea, and questions whether this legal maneuver will force a new trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna and the host of the Courtroom Confidential podcast, Josh Ritter, dissect day four of the trial, analyzing the judge's rare move to send the jury to the Massachusetts home. They examine the prosecution’s risky strategy to prove Lindsay Clancy faked her mental breakdown, the burden of proof under Massachusetts law, and how emotional evidence could backfire with jurors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fifty years after the first Son of Sam slaying, Donna looks back at the true crime mystery that gripped New York City and changed homicide investigations forever. Retired NYPD Detective Tom Smith explains how investigators tracked David Berkowitz without today's technology, the panic that spread across the city, and the key break that finally ended the year-long killing spree. They also discuss Berkowitz's taunting letters, the psychology behind serial offenders, and the investigative lessons that continue to shape law enforcement today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna takes a closer look at Bryan Kohberger's latest legal move after he filed to withdraw the guilty plea that spared him the death penalty in the University of Idaho murders. Joined by FOX News Digital reporter Michael Ruiz and former Idaho Attorney General David LeRoy, Donna examines Kohberger's handwritten court filing, his claims of ineffective counsel, and whether Idaho's high legal standard gives him any realistic path to reversing his conviction.  Plus, the latest on Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, including Savannah Guthrie's new social media post raising questions on the status of the investigation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna examines the preliminary hearing of TikTok star known as D4vd, David Anthony Burke, accused of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez to protect his $10 million music career. Joined by Fox News Radio reporter Krystin Goodwin and attorney Tre Lovell, Donna unpacks evidence presented so far by prosecutors, from LAPD detective testimony detailing the Tesla trunk evidence to finger tattoos, and online purchases that suggest a gruesome attempt to cover up.  Plus, a look at how D4vd’s defense team is using cross-examination to poke holes in the prosecution's case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An explosive new docuseries has put killer Scott Peterson back in the headlines. Despite a recent legal blow in court, his defense team is counting on new forensic tools and testimony to prove his innocence. Peterson’s long-time defense attorney Pat Harris joins Donna to lay out his latest efforts with the LA Innocence Project and most recent appeal efforts.  Harris argues that new fetal-age calculations, a burned van, and a neighborhood burglary could clear Peterson if he is granted a new trial.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can Courtney Clenney beat a second-degree murder rap by proving she stabbed her boyfriend in self-defense? Donna sits down with Miami-based criminal defense attorney Paul Calli to untangle the high-stakes criminal trial in the grisly 2022 slaying of Christian Obumseli in a posh Florida condo the couple shared. Together, they analyze the weight of a volatile relationship, the plausibility of Clenney's "thrown knife" defense, and crucial tactical choices in juror selection. They also look at the massive controversy surrounding Clenney's parents and misconduct that forced the lead state prosecutor to step aside.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna sits down with former juvenile court judge Carol Erskine to analyze two heartbreaking New England cases. Together, they explore how administrative and courtroom failures in Massachusetts and New Hampshire allowed the violent father of Harmony Montgomery to gain custody shortly before her murder. They also unpack the medical systems under scrutiny in the pending prosecution of Lindsay Clancy, examining the impact of extreme psychiatric medication cycles on criminal responsibility.  Read Judge Carol Erskine's book, A Cruel Injustice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna Rotunno examines her five days on the ground in Provo, Utah, covering the preliminary hearing of Tyler Robinson, the accused killer of Charlie Kirk. Donna weighs in on the testimony of Robinson's former romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, including the revelation of an alleged confession note and Dremel-engraved bullets. Plus, why the judge's unprecedented decision to delay his ruling means the Kirk family must wait until the one-year anniversary of the murder for a finding of probable cause. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna is outside the courthouse in Provo, Utah, for day three of the high-stakes preliminary hearing in the Charlie Kirk murder case. Joined by Fox News correspondent Matt Finn and retired FBI agent James Gagliano, Donna and the team analyze how the defense is using procedural maneuvers and extensive redactions to stall the state's momentum. Plus, the never-before-seen video of Robinson’s surrender, a surprising wardrobe choice, and the missteps made by the suspected gunman that left behind a trove of evidence.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Overwhelming video evidence plus DNA took center stage on day two of the preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, the suspected gunman in Charlie Kirk’s murder.  Donna is outside court in Provo, Utah, with Chanley Painter, FOX News Correspondent, and Greg Rogers, former FBI Agent and UVU Professor, to analyze the evidence revealed so far. The team dissects surveillance footage tracking the suspected gunman’s movements, forensics on the weapon found, and the defense's possible plea deal strategy.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mackenzie Shirilla’s quest for freedom is crushed after her lawyers miss a crucial appeal deadline by a single day.  Donna and former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani weigh in on the technical legal blunder that solidified the "Hell on Wheels" double-murder conviction. They discuss the defense's failed medical strategy, unpack leaked prison phone calls, and analyze how a true-crime documentary boom is actively changing public perception of justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An up-and-coming music artist faces capital murder charges after 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found brutally slain in the trunk of his Tesla. Donna uncovers the horrifying case against David Anthony Burke, AKA "D4vd". Matt Finn, FOX News LA correspondent, details the gruesome timeline. Then, Moses Castillo, retired LAPD Detective, examines the prosecution's case, potential hidden victims, and what makes this a capital case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna dissects the high-stakes legal maneuvering delaying the Tyler Robinson trial. Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz maps out the case and explains the slow-moving Utah justice system. Then, trial attorney Royal Oakes, the man responsible for keeping cameras rolling during the O.J. Simpson trial, stops by to debate the critical need for judicial transparency and why some judges suffer from a "31-year O.J. hangover." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna is joined by FOX News Digital Reporter Michael Ruiz, who discusses a new round of headlines on the mystery and Savannah's decision to speak out from set. Plus, former Las Vegas Metro PD Lieutenant Randy Sutton dissects law enforcement missteps that potentially compromised the crime scene from day one and explains exactly how a fresh task force can salvage the hunt for the truth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna sits down with Boston’s own Howie Carr, host of The Howie Carr Show, to weigh in on the new battles Karen Read is facing. Far from over, her not guilty verdict has spun into a web of civil lawsuits, exposing embarrassing texts, dirty cops, and small-town politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rex Heuermann, also known as the Long Island Serial Killer, has officially been sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without parole. Fox News Digital Reporter Michael Ruiz joins Donna straight from court to describe the explosive moment between Heuermann and the judge after the madman sat motionless during emotional victim impact statements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The stakes are higher than ever for Alex Murdaugh after his double-murder conviction was overturned.  Donna is back with Alex Murdaugh’s longtime defense attorney Dick Harpootlian. Fresh off their monumental South Carolina Supreme Court victory, Harpootlian pulls back the curtain on the jury interference that forced a reset, his calculated upcoming game plan to tackle the infamous kennel video, and the playbook they will use to secure a "not guilty" verdict in round two. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Karmelo Anthony has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after he was found guilty of murder in the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet. Texas criminal defense attorney Jeremy Rosenthal joins Donna to discuss the intense aftermath of a trial that has captivated the nation.Donna and Jeremy analyze what's next for Anthony, including the possibility of parole as well as the Metcalf family's powerful statements at sentencing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Twenty-two years after Scott Peterson’s conviction for the murder of his pregnant wife, Laci, his former defense attorney Mark Geragos claims new evidence could clear him. But how much of this angle is actually new evidence? Donna is joined by retired Modesto Police Department Detective Jon Buehler, who led the original investigation, as well as Fox News Digital Reporter Mike Ruiz, to dissect the burned-out van, the neighborhood burglary timeline, and the 43,000 pages of circumstantial evidence. Plus, Detective Buehler draws parallels to the unsolved disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Texas teen has been found guilty after a fatal track meet stabbing. Donna weighs in on the murder conviction of Karmelo Anthony for the death of Austin Metcalf. Donna analyzes why the defense's self-defense strategy failed, the critical error of Anthony not taking the witness stand, and what to expect as the tragic case moves into the sentencing phase. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

100 MPH into a brick wall, a double murder conviction, and intense online debate have the Mackenzie Shirilla case completely taking over social media. Donna sits down with former FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole to provide an exclusive behavioral assessment of Mackenzie Shirilla. Moving past internet speculation, they break down the social media warning signs, the medical claims of memory loss, and what Shirilla's performative prison interviews reveal about her true psychological growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna and former Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison take you inside the decades-long hunt for a monster.  In his new book, The Commissioner: From Street Cop to Top Cop, Rodney Harrison details his transition from the gritty streets of the NYPD to leading the investigation that finally put Rex Heuermann behind bars. He shares the critical turning point in the case, the calculated risk of executing his Midtown Manhattan arrest, and his chilling reaction to Heuermann's immediate request for a lawyer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from CrimeCon in Las Vegas, Donna examines the trial of Robert Telles, the local politician convicted of murdering investigative reporter Jeff German to kill an upcoming exposé. FOX News Digital Reporter Mike Ruiz and former Las Vegas Metro Police Department Lt. Randy Sutton join the conversation to analyze the political fallout, the critical evidence, and the reality of policing in Sin City. They lay out how Robert Telles was caught, what led to his downfall, and the cost of exposing the truth. Watch Crime & Justice on Spotify. Spotify Premium users get no commercial breaks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Murdaugh's retrial triggers a flurry of legal action. Donna brings back Valerie Bauerlein, author of The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty.   Bauerlein, an investigative reporter for The Wall Street Journal, reveals what she knows of Becky Hill, whether Murdaugh might take the stand this time around and how the defense might explain the infamous kennel video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2016, two Miami-Dade narcotics officers made history with a record-breaking $22 million cash seizure. A decade later, Hollywood turned their true story into The Rip, a Netflix blockbuster portraying them as murderous, corrupt criminals. Donna sits down with Ignacio Alvarez, the attorney and 25-year law enforcement veteran suing Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s production company to save his clients' reputations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Harvey Weinstein legal saga takes an explosive turn after his third New York trial ends in a deadlocked jury. Donna unites a powerhouse panel of past and present Weinstein defense attorneys, Teny Geragos and Damon Cheronis, for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes breakdown of what really happened inside the courtroom. Together, they unpack the massive gaps in the prosecution's evidence, how the cultural momentum of the #MeToo movement has shifted, and predict whether Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will force a fourth trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Texas murder suspect flees to Italy after allegedly killing his pregnant wife. Can prosecutors bring him back? Donna details the international manhunt for Lee Gilley, a Texas murder suspect who cut off his ankle monitor and fled to Italy while out on a $1 million bond. Joined by FOX 26 Houston Reporter Mekenna Earnhart and Criminal Defense Attorney Nicole Deborde, she examines the looming extradition, a heartbreaking custody battle, and questions about what actual evidence ties the husband to the crime.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna dissects the blockbuster decision to grant Alex Murdaugh a new trial, examines the complex "split the baby" evidentiary ruling in the murder case against Luigi Mangione, and unpacks why the judge threw certain evidence out.  Plus, prosecutors in the Tyler Robinson murder case lay out what to expect at the highly anticipated July preliminary hearing in Utah. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Forensic Criminologist Brent Turvey joins Donna to expose what he calls major flaws in the Kohberger case. Hired for the defense, Turvey unpacks the knife sheath DNA, a hair found in a victim's hand, and questions about the evidence chain of custody. Turvey will also dissect the plea deal and whether it was a mistake for the case never to go to trial.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Murdaugh is getting a new trial.  After South Carolina’s highest court unanimously overturned his murder convictions, Donna reacts to the stunning legal reversal, breaking down how jury interference compromised the sanctity of the process and explains why this ruling is a massive win for the foundation of the American justice system.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donna Rotunno explores the growing trend of high-stakes extortion targeting the wealthy. Joined by private investigator Herman Weisberg and attorney Andrew Stoltmann, the panel analyzes the federal indictment involving a co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. The conversation examines the blurred lines between legal settlements and criminal bribery, the rise of "sugar baby" schemes, and the dangerous new frontier of AI-generated digital evidence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Peterson is serving life in prison for the murders of his wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn son. But could he ever walk free?  Fox News Senior Correspondent Claudia Cowan describes the LA Innocence Project’s latest habeas petition and the "Strawberry Shortcake" juror misconduct appeal. Later, Donna is joined by criminal defense attorney Michael Cardoza, who conducted a mock cross-examination of Peterson during the original trial, and provides rare insight into the defense strategy and why the 2004 change of venue may have doomed the case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The high-profile prosecution of Bryan Kohberger ended in a plea, but did it leave the truth behind?  Donna is joined by former FBI Special Agent and investigative journalist Chris Whitcomb to examine his new book, Broken Plea, which details critical procedural gaps in the Idaho murder investigation. From the initial "medical emergency" response that contaminated the scene to the "diluted" blood spatter on the second floor, Chris weighs in on forensic anomalies that were never tested in court. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Criminal defense attorney Thomas Kenniff joins Donna to provide an exclusive look inside the successful criminal defense of Marine veteran Daniel Penny.  Tom explains the "sticky" facts of the subway incident, the political pressure that led to the indictment, and the uphill battle Daniel Penny faces in his current civil wrongful death lawsuit.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The tragic death of NHL stars Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau has sparked a fierce legal battle over blood alcohol science. Donna Rotunno and criminal defense attorney Imran Ansari analyze the defense's move to toss the indictment against Sean Higgins. They examine the high bar for dismissing charges and whether a jury can truly set aside the immense sympathy for the Gaudreau family. Plus, a look at former client Harvey Weinstein’s third New York trial and why this might be his best shot at an acquittal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices